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Argh to Dog Owners!!!

rebeccaemms

Warren Scout
Ok that is a bit of a generalisation because I’m sure that most dog-owners do not do this but it seems that every dog-owner I know acts like their little pudding is so innocent and should be granted special permission to terrorise!!!

I’ll stop ranting and explain!!!!!

My Mum-in-law and her hubby came over last night with their badly behaved and untrained dog in tow. He wasn’t invited and we weren’t expecting them so it came completely out of the blue. This dog could be lovely if someone had taken the time to give him some training! Basically the sun shines out of this dogs rear end. He unexpectedly came waltzing through my (dog free) house straight through the open back door and into the back garden where the bunnies were out in their run and proceeded to charge at the bars sniffing and grizzling. My poor babies were so shocked that Benjamin was running round like a loon under siege bumping the bars and Roxy froze to the spot shaking. I was out there in a bolt of lightning and grabbed the dog and held him back while shouting hubby for help. Hubby came to see what was up and realised that the bunnies were petrified and we needed to get them back in their shed so we went in the run and grabbed a bun each while the darn dog was snapping at our heels and following us into the shed. His Mum had come to see what ‘all the commotion’ was so we asked her to hold the dog back so we could settle the buns in the shed and she did it although complaining the whole time. Her husband stood laughing his head off and once the buns were safely away I got the usual excuse ‘He wouldn’t hurt a fly our little darling – he only wants to say hello’. I tried to explain that while that might be true our two bunnies see the little darling as a predator and have no idea that he is harmless and bunnies can have a heart attack from such a shock. Mum in Law and Hubby’s response was one of complete amusement and disbelief! ‘The rabbits would be fine – you are too overprotective with them’ was the response!! It really riles me up to be honest!!! I have a cousin whose opinion about her dog is exactly the same – he’s only playing!!! Argh!!! For the rest of their visit I was treated like an over protective parent with little comments and digs while the dog ran riot weeing on my tomato plants, pooing on my herb patch, wandering in and out of the house at will and grabbing hold of my thankfully cheap sunglasses and chewing the arm off and being told ‘He just wants to explore’ and ‘he’s harmless’
I know most dog owners are nothing like my Mum in Law and hubby but I just get cross with people who expect you to make the same excuses for their pets as they do!

Rant over – hehe!

Thankfully the buns had made a full recovery by 10pm and were happily munching on some treats!
 
:shock::shock: I don't know how you remained so calm! Poor buns and poor dog in many ways too!:(
 
Yes that is a huge generalisation and to a responsible dog person quite offending. :?
I would NEVER let my dog run amock is someone elses house and wouldn't even take him there unless I had asked first.

If that was my house they would've been told to put him on a lead or leave.
They have no right to let their dog loose round your house if it is causing trouble and definately no right to comment on the care of your rabbits.
 
i also dont know how you could remain calm.i would of gone off my nut!!!its your house so she should of respected that and had the dog on a lead n asked if it was ok to bring him.my mum is currently staying mine with her dog but makes sure she cant get anywhere near bluebell.xx
 
The dog would be band from my home. The in laws would be told some home truths:evil:I have 4 dogs its all down to training but non of my dogs would be let near my buns:)
 
I'm a dog owner, and a dog lover, but I would've been outraged! My parents used to do that with their dog Cassie, who I have to say is lovely, but completely untrained. The unfortunate thing is that our bunnies run around the garden, so when they walked straight in our house (yes, without knocking), we used to have to dive for the back door! We've since spent loads of time with Cassie and she now knows how to behave around the bunnies. That being said ours ARE used to dogs, having been brought up with ours desperately wanting to mother them! :)
 
I had a bbq two years ago and a friend turned up with a dog he was looking after it for a friend.I said that I didnt want it in the garden as the buns were out.The response was that the dog would be fine and he would keep it on the lead.Ten mins later his three year old is walking around the garden with the dog.The b:censored: dog spies one of my bunnies yanks the lead out of the three year old hand and is in full pelt after my bunny.I tore down the garden screaming at the dog and for help and my Oh grabbed it just in time.The bunny was in shock but he was fine later.Im afraid I lost my temper and made them leave.How dare people think they have the right to bring Unruley dogs into your home.It would be different if you had a child in the garden then they would have to keep the dog under controle in case it bit the child.I forgot to say I have two dogs which love my bunnies.
 
this is true with some dog owners and its not just those who invite there little darlings into other people homes its in the street and in the parks a too, while i understand puppies as they are young and have to be trained, but i do hate the "love me love my dog" i used to walk my son to school and this guy had 6 yorkshire terriers on one lead split into 6 and on a short lead beside him was this beautifull afgan, now dont get me wrong i love dogs, i wouldnt have one as i dont have enough time for them, but this guy hogged the whole of the pathway 3 times my son got tripped up by his lil ones leads before i had a go at him, for which all i got was a humpf, i used to take my neighbours dog for walk everyday, more due to he fact i got fed up of it locked outside listening to it howling and scratching at the french doors, while she was in with her 2 kids, she told me she couldnt handle it, so i took it out and trained her, took me 3 months now shes an angel, though circumstances have changed and girl isnt there anymore anyway and the fella is at home more, i mean it was a springer spaniel in a postage stamp for a garden and she never walked it the fella did when he came home at 8 at night no wonder it was going nuts, at the end of the day its not the dogs fault its the owners
 
Phew - thank goodness it wasn't just me overreacting as most of you agreed with me. I will definitely ask for the dog not to be brought again as they simply don't see that the dog is a problem!
As I said in my post I accept that there ARE responsible dog owners out there in a much larger majority who don't do this sort of thing. Unfortunately of the four dogs I know well none of their owners adopt this attitude - it's definitely a love me, worship my dog sort of situation.
I wish I did know some responsible dog owners whose pooches could come round and visit the buns in a supervised and restrained fashion so that if the worst did occur and this dog came back perhaps the buns would be more prepared!:evil:
 
I have two dogs and I know what they are like around Jack and I'm always taking procautions around them, and I would have acted the same way if some elses dogs came through my house. You can never trust a dog 100% with smaller animals, even reading this I felt like I wanted to give them a right shouting, I mean talking to.
 
i can see your problem unless you are a bunny owner and see them as equal pets to cats and dogs it seems as though the general public sees people like us as over protective and to be honest a little weird for caring so much about these animals which is why i think you also need to take responsibility too tell them how you feel and come up with some ground rules for them if bringing the dog round or even not to bring it at all for example a while ago some relatives brought there sheepdog round at a family bbq. this dog has always been untrustworthy and as my sister (about 8 at the time) was running down the garden he chased after her and nipped her ankles and started barking at her. my parents were terrified and understandably angry that this happened but all his owners said was well he didnt hurt her and that hes a rescue dog its not his fault. while they are technically correct it scared my sister so much she wouldnt go near a dog again for years. which goes to show that you cannot help some irresponsible owners understand the damage there dogs can do so you just need to tell them straight

(ps i personally know many very responsible dog owners and i understand that it is a very small minority of owners who are irresponsible like this)
 
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I'm so blessed with such a laid back well trained dog.
Spider would never do such a thing. if he sees my rabbits free range he'll round them up ( border collie ) but if i tell him not to he wont.
Dog owners like this **** me off, especially when they attack my dog.
One attacked my dog so Spider defended himself and the woman did nothing and when i confronted her she said.. oh well, he's okay isn't he??
I WENT ******* BANANAS!!
 
Can I just say "please don't blame the dog". He's only doing what dogs do naturally. It's the blinking useless owners that need to have their heads knocked together. I just get angry when it's always the dog that gets the blame for an owner who absolves themselves of all responsibility. These are usually the very same people who have a small child (or children) and let them run amock in Tesco's. It is the owner of a dog who has total responsibility for keeping it under control at all times. Unfortunately, dogs don't understand human rules and etiquette so it's up to their owners to make sure they behave.

I have two Border Collies (know what you mean about herding the bunnies Spider!) and what they do in my own home is one thing but I would NEVER allow them to be a nuisance to other people. That's downright bad manners.

I would ban the in-laws from my house and certainly wouldn't allow them to bring their dog unless it was kept on a lead. My house, my rules and if you don't like it - LEAVE! Ask them how they would feel if you took a few bunnies to their house and then allowed them free fun of the lounge where they chewed a few wires and dug holes in the carpet. My answer would be "they're only playing.............".
 
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Can I just say "please don't blame the dog". He's only doing what dogs do naturally.


I have to agree with that. I kno that's what my dogs are doing that's why I don't trust them with the rabbits.. They just have insinct to kill smaller animals. It's been in the blood for centuries.
 
i agree with dont blame the dog as well!
It's so true, if you're going to have a dog train it to a high standard for god's sake, like it's naturally in a pack.
My neighbours dog is out of control and they say they only want it to have a good life as it's short and they dont train it or tell it off, i was shocked and horrified.
I do although saying that think that all dogs can be controlled and have a happy life, look at Spi!! You jsut need to find their soul mate first.. and i know i've found mine :)
 
i love dogs big time ..but cant have one because of our 3 housebuns.
that said the poor buns dont know the dog, and will be scared so much that they could die just of stress..
you see it alot in petshops where certain dog owners will allow the dogs to terrorise the buns in the shop.
how would they like it if someone came upto them and nearly gave them a heart attack!
i think you should have words with your inlaws and say that they are welcome but the dog isnt.i know it sounds harsh to them but tough its your home and the poor buns, they should feel secure in their own home.
some people!
 
I have to say that you are not being over protective - they are your Rabbits in your home and they didnt consult you before letting their dog off the lead.

Insist that next time them come over the dog is kept on a lead. Did they clear up the mess the dog made - or did you have to do that too ?
 
I love my dog,to me he is my third child :oops::roll:I do think he is a little darling and wonderful :D But i would never let my dog behave that way or take him to someones house without him being invited,a dog must behave if he is a guest in someone elses home,and that is the owners responsibility.Poor you and poor bunnies :cry:
 
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